Now, songs of Cuttack-born legendary Bengali singer-songwriter-musician Kabir Suman can be heard in Odia, the language which he spoke first while growing up in this city for six years, before moving to Kolkata and learning Bengali. This audio album of 12 most popular songs of Suman translated into Odia is a musical tribute to mark his deep connection with Odisha, especially his birthplace Cuttack and the river Kathajodi here which he still loves and reminisces.
“I never thought it would happen; never even dreamed of it. I started to speak Odia before I spoke Bengali. I was born close to the sweet river Kathajodi at Cuttack in 1949. Only a man born on the banks of a river knows what a river is. Today, as I think of my departure, my childhood memories come flooding back to me with the sound of my river Kathajodi,” says Suman when informed about the making of this album.
While renowned lyricist Devdas Chhotray has done the lyrical adaptations working upon the translations of the songs provided by eminent writer and director of IIMC Dhenkanal Prof Mrinal Chatterjee, Cuttack-based singer Namrata Mohanty who released Nazrul Geeti in Odia early this year, has lent her voice to the album named Tumaku Chahein (I Want You).
“I thank all the good people who are recording my songs in Odia, especially my newfound friend Devdas who has done a great job,” said Suman.
Suman, who worked as a broadcast journalist in the US and Germany for several years and whose songs have already been translated into English in 1994, added, “This is the first time my songs are being adapted to another language. And I’m so very happy that it is Odia because that was the language that surrounded me when I was born. Though I cannot follow Odia fully, I can see the close resemblance of the original and the adaptation. I told Devdas he should have no qualms about replacing my Bengali culture-specific words with words that the people of Odisha could relate to more easily. I find it wonderful that he has alluded to the great Akshaya Mohanty for people who live in Odisha will be able to relate to the context of the song.”
Namrata Mohanty, who is an AIR artist with numerous solo and compilation Odia albums to her credit besides an album of traditional Hindi bhajans, said, “We had adapted and recorded the most popular song of Suman named Tomake Chai last year with a different music arrangement on experimental basis. We uploaded the song on YouTube and it became very popular. Encouraged by the overwhelming response from our Odia listeners and especially from the diehard fans, we decided to go ahead with a complete studio album of twelve such songs but with the same music arrangement this time which Suman had played himself. We hope the listeners would like the other songs too which are all very unique from each other.”
The twelve popular songs of Suman which have found a place in the album are Tomake Chai, Jatishwar, Tomar Tulona, Sararat Jolechhe. Tomar Songe Eka, Nayantara, Sara Dao, Bhalobasa, Kangalpona, Protidin Surjyo Otthe, Kakhono Somoy Ase and Tumi Dekhbe.
“While the first nine are transcendental love songs, Protidin Surjyo Otthe is a song of resistance and the last two are pro-life songs of hope and aspiration. Tomake Chai is apparently a love song but more properly it celebrates intrinsic love of a person for his mother tongue,” said Prof Mrinal Chatterjee who has translated the songs into Odia. “Suman’s lyrics are first rate poetry,” he added.
Devdas Chhotray in his prologue voiceover to the album recalls his days in Delhi when he and his mentor late Akshaya Mohanty used to listen to songs of Suman together with rapt attention till late night. “I’m a strong follower of Suman. His songs and writings have always inspired me. His words, music and voice leave a lasting cinematic experience as one hears them. I have taken care to see that not only the whole poem but each line of every poem lends meaning. My involvement in this ambitious project is very special to me especially when Suman was born in my own city Cuttack and Kathajodi river is dear to both of us,” he said.
“Suman’s songs deserve a far wider audience than what it has received in the two Bengals. Hope the Odia versions set a trend that’s picked up in other parts of our subcontinent. I believe this is significantly more important than getting the songs translated into European languages. I congratulate the musicians of Odisha,” said Dr Sudipto Chatterjee, Professor in Cultural Studies, Centre for Studies in the Social Sciences, Kolkata.
Songs of Kabir Suman (formerly Suman Chattopadhyay), popularly known as Sumaner Gaan, resurrected, redefined and revolutionised modern Bengali music in the early Nineties. His numerous solo albums released by HMV sold like hot cakes. Also known as the Bob Dylan of India, Suman has written, composed, arranged and sung around 1,000 songs. He is also a celebrated poet, author and political activist.